Google launches Applied Digital Skills

Need a little inspiration and seeking to add a little fun to middle, high school, college, PD or independent technology learning as this school year opens?

Google just launched Applied Digital Skills, designed to help your students succeed online and prepare for their careers. The program includes free lesson plans and digital skills videos designed for an evolving job market. You’ll want to share these with your computer science department, your technology clubs and integrate them into your own program. If yours is a Google using or Google Classroom school, this is going to be a perfect match.

You’ll notice significant resonance with the skills we address daily as teacher librarians. Most recognize the importance of opportunities for choice and collaboration and audience, as well as the importance of reflection on the learning. Among the skills covered are:

You can access the full curriculum of units here. Each includes closed-caption downloadable video introductions, time recommended to complete, a list of skills covered, instructions, engaging scaffolded activities, and rubrics. Teachers can sign in with their Google logins to create dashboards.

Notice how the array of units engages the multiple interests of students and involves them in seriously useful day-to-day skills, as well as college and career readiness:

About NeverEnding Search

News, thoughts, and discoveries at the vortex of libraries, literacy, learning, discovery and play. Joyce is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University's School of Communication and Information, an edtech Sherpa, and a connector. Her interests include: social media curation, digital/media fluency, transliteracy and youth, online communities of practice, digital storytelling and creativity, youth information-seeking behavior, social networking, online learning, and the evolving role and powers of the teacher-librarian.